Plate hanger



R. GRAVES PLATE HANGER Filed Aug. -8, 1946 I A; V EN TOR. @ew Gina/e6 Patented Mar. 23, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLATE HANGER Reber Graves, Glen Ellyn, 111.

Application August 8, 1946, Serial No. 689,219

3 Claims.

1 My invention relates to a hanger for plates and similar ob ects. Devices of this character are often used for supporting plates which are to be suspended for display purposes from a vertical wall. It is with a view to providing such a hanger 1 which will be simple, inexpensive, and readily adjustable, that my invention is primarily concerned.

A suggestive embodiment of this invention is set forth in the accompanying drawing wherein,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a plate supported upon a wall by the present hanger;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the hanger applied to its supported plate;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the hanger with its supported plate shown in cross section; and

Fig. 4 is an exploded view, in perspective, showing the hanger parts disassembled.

An outstanding characteristic of the present hanger is that it is an all-wire construction. 'It comprises three units the first of which is a rod R that is straight except at one end where a loop (or hook) 5 is formed. Starting at the opposite end the wire is provided with a shank 6 having screw threads extending through a major portion of its length. A pair of abutments 1 and 8 is carried upon the rod; one or both of these abutments may be nuts that are adapted to-be screwed onto the threaded shank of the rod for adjusting movement thereupon.

A second unit of the hanger is the upper finger U, as shown best in Fig. 4. This finger consists of a wire whose upper end is reversely bent to provide a depending hook I l, its opposite end being formed with a loop l2 extending laterally in a direction opposite the hook. The loop I2 is adapted to receive the threaded shank of the rod.

A third unit of the hanger is the lower finger L. This may be the same in construction as the upper finger just described or, optionally, be of double wire construction as best shown in.Fig. 4.

Here the wire is illustrated as medially bent upon itself to provide a loop [5 which is adapted to receive the threaded shank of the rod R. This loop is normally disposed in a horizontal plane, the two wires extending from the loop being bent at I6 through an angle of approximately 90 to depend vertically, and near their bottom ends being reversely bent to provide a pair of hooks I! extending upwardly, side by side, in a direction which is opposite the loop I5.

When the two fingers are assembled on the rod, the upper nut I will be positioned just above the loop 12 and the lower nut 8 just below the loop i5, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. These nuts which are adjustable lengthwise of the rod afford abutments or stops for the loops engaged therewith. Since either nut may be adjusted, it is possible to vary the spacing of the two fingers relative to each other. It is also possible, without changing the spacing between the fingers to shift the position of the rod lengthwise of the fingers. By such a manipulation the position of the rod loop 5 may be raised or lowered relative to the hanger as a whole.

In operation, the hooks I l and I! of the upper and lower fingers are fitted over the edge of a plate P (see Fig. 3) at diametrically opposite points. These fingers may be slightly bowed endwise to conform somewhat to the contour of the usual plate which is dished. When operatively fitted in place, one nut or the other is manipulated to advance the fingers relatively toward each other or, if desired, both nuts may be rotated for this purpose. By so proceeding, the finger hooks may be tightened against the plate edges at opposite points so as to securely hold the plate in the hanger.

With the plate thus supported by the hanger, the loop 5 may be fitted over a fastening such as a hook H previously driven into the wall. A mounting is thereby provided for the hanger and the plate supported thereby. If desired, for purposes of clearance with an adjacent molding or for other reasons, the vertical position of the rod may be shifted to raise or lower the plate relative to the fastening whereon the hanger is suspended. It will be noted that the two fingers which are extended oppositely are adapted to be positioned in a vertical plane that is common to both of them and to the rod as well, thereby aligning the three hanger units diametrically with the supported plate. This mutual alignment is facilitated by the loose mounting of each finger upon the rod.

. Iclaim:

1. A plate hanger comprising a wire rod having a screw threaded shank and formed at one end with a loop, a pair of oppositely disposed wire fingers adapted for positioning in a vertical plane common with each other and with the rod and each formed at one end with a laterally extending loop and at its opposite end with a reverse bend to provide a plate engaging hook extending in a direction opposite its loop, the rod being adapted to traverse the loops 'of the fingers when the latter are assembled on the rod, and a pair of nuts threaded on to the rod shank to the outside of the finger loops each providing therefor an adjustable abutment whereby to determine the maximum spacing between the fingers as Well I as the longitudinal position of the rod relative to the fingers when so spaced, and the rod being also adjustable relative to both fingers without afiecting the adjustment thereof whereby the loop of the rod may be concealed when the hanger supports a large or small plate.

2. A plate hanger comprising a pair of oppositely disposed wires fingers adapted for positioning in a vertical-' plane and each formed at one end with a laterally extending loop and at its opposite end with a reverse bend to provide a plate engagin hook, a threaded supporting rod traversing the loops of the fingers, and a pair of nuts threaded on the rod to the outside of the finger loops thereon for engagement therewith-r providing a depending plate-engaging hook and thelower finger consisting of a wire medially bent to form a horizontal-loop and two sides,'the

sides being bent at right angles to the bendforming loop and arranged substantially contiguous to each other and having their lower ends reversely bent to form a pair of upwardly extendind plate-engaging hooks, the rod being passed through the horizontal loopsof the, fingers when the latter are assembled on the'rod,.and a pair of nuts threaded on tothe rod shank to the outside of the finger loops and providing therefor an adjustable abutment whereby to determine the maximum spacing between the hooks of the upper andlower fingers, said rod being adjustablerelative to the fingers without affecting the adjustment thereof, whereby the loop of the rod may be concealed when the hanger-supports a largeor small plate.

REBER GRAVES.

REFERENCES GITEDi Theiollowing references areof recordin" the file of this patent: I g V UNITED STATESPATENFISZ I Name Ovington Jan. 6;:11880 Number Date- 1 1 V 

